A Favor in Return
“Lady Isabel and the Duchess of Valentino were engaged in conversation. They were the only two on the bridge.”
The women who usually treated Isabel like a rival—Calena and Mercy—did not let the opportunity slip.
“The bridge over the pond isn��t narrow enough for someone to miss a step and fall. Something feels strange about this.”
There was no railing, true, but the span was wide enough that falling would have been nearly impossible unless someone deliberately shoved her. Yet Canna had fallen.
Why?
“Oh, I heard she was in a rather heated argument with Lady Addis. The voices carried all the way over here. What was it again? I believe I caught the word bastard daughter.”
You’re doing an excellent job, Lady Mercy. Canna inwardly cheered her on.
I’d heard they didn’t get along, but she’s actually helping me.
Kallen’s face drained of all color. He fixed Isabel with a piercing glare.
“N-no, that’s not true!”
Isabel shook her head frantically and thrust out her arm.
“I didn’t push her! If anything, Sister Canna pushed me. Look! This is what happened when Sister Canna pushed me—”
“Leave at once, Isabel Addis.”
Kallen’s voice was low, tightly reined fury vibrating beneath the polite command. “We will speak at home. Go back immediately.”
Isabel’s lips trembled. She had never seen that expression on Kallen’s face before—those eyes looked as though he were staring at an enemy.
The injustice of it brought tears to her eyes; she wanted to sob. But instinct warned her: she must not defy him now.
When Isabel finally stumbled away, sniffling, Kallen turned back to Canna.
“Sister.”
His face was deathly pale. Seeing her drenched and unconscious dragged the memory of her standing in the pouring rain back to the surface.
A sharp pain lanced through his chest.
How many more times must I witness her like this?
A few months ago she had returned home with blood pouring from her shoulder and collapsed on the spot. That had only been the beginning.
Beaten senseless by Josephine Elvester in the greenhouse. Nearly hunted like an animal by Prince Cassil. Ignored by him and left to shiver in the rain until she nearly died. And now this.
Now Isabel had harassed her until she fell into the pond.
My poor sister.
Canna reminded him of an abandoned fawn—pitiful, alone, shedding fat tears after being forsaken by its mother. Beasts circled her with malicious intent, always attacking from every side.
No. She has me now.
To his sister, there was only him. Therefore he would protect her so thoroughly that no one would ever dare treat Canna carelessly again.
Kallen made that vow. He studied the man who had pulled her from the water.
“Thank you for rescuing my sister.”
He held out both arms, clearly expecting to receive her.
“I will repay the kindness properly later. For now, please hand my sister over to me.”
The man holding Canna smiled.
“Repay me?”
His voice was light as a spring breeze. To Canna, however, it struck like a typhoon.
Why—why is it you…?
Suddenly the arms cradling her felt unbearably confining.
To think it was him!
“There is no need for anyone else’s reward when it comes to saving my wife.”
Sylvien Valentino spoke with a smile. The words might have sounded perfectly natural to an outsider, but to Kallen they rang with blatant mockery. His eyes iced over.
“Return my sister.”
“Return her?”
Sylvien tilted his head, feigning confusion.
“You say the strangest things, Sir Kallen Addis. One might almost think I had stolen something that belongs to you.”
“I am the one escorting my sister at this banquet. Therefore it is only right that I take responsibility.”
“Nothing outweighs a spouse’s duty. I will graciously accept the sentiment.”
What is this lunatic saying?
Just hand me over to Kallen!
Canna wanted to scream it. She disliked them both, but being held by Kallen was infinitely preferable to this.
What the hell is he thinking?
Had he developed a taste for provoking Kallen?
“Besides, what exactly can you do in this situation, Sir Kallen?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“What my wife needs most right now is to be dried and given fresh clothes. At best you would simply leave the task to the maids.”
Sylvien’s smile took on a distinctly suggestive curve.
“Whereas I can do it with my own hands.”
This… crazy bastard…
Canna’s face burned. She had no idea what game he was playing, but one thing was certain.
He’s lost his mind.
Otherwise he would never have referred to her as his “wife” in front of everyone.
“I will take my wife to a private room and look after her personally. Please direct the physician there.”
Still carrying Canna, Sylvien walked away at a leisurely pace. The crowd’s murmurs rose immediately in his wake.
As expected, the couple’s relationship had improved. It seemed the Duchess of Valentino was finally receiving affection. Such whispers followed them.
Kallen stood motionless among the gossip.
A stinging pain made him glance down. His fist was clenched so tightly that his nails had broken the skin of his palm.
With an expressionless face, Kallen stared at the blood welling in his hand.
“……”
He did not feel good.
In fact, he felt utterly filthy.
“Fortunately there are no serious concerns. It appears she lost consciousness briefly from the shock of the fall. There is no need for great worry.”
Having finished his examination, the physician left the room.
Now you’re leaving too, right?
She waited with bated breath. For Sylvien to leave. For him to disappear.
Instead she heard the scrape of a chair being dragged to the bedside and the rustle of him sitting down.
Don’t sit. Don’t you dare sit!
Canna flinched and cracked her eyes open the tiniest sliver. Sylvien crossed his long legs, revealing a glimpse of a firm ankle beneath the hem of his trousers.
It’s all taken care of, so why are you getting comfortable?
Contrary to the bold claim he had made to Kallen, he had not wiped her down himself.
Of course she had never expected him to.
She had merely suspected he had developed a bizarre new hobby of tormenting Kallen.
A sadist? Something like that?
Who could know what went on inside Sylvien Valentino’s head?
He had simply summoned a maid to clean Canna’s body and dress her in fresh clothes. During that time he had changed into new attire as well.
Then either call for Kallen or just leave already, won’t you?
She had no desire to speak with Sylvien. Therefore Canna stubbornly continued pretending to be unconscious.
It’s too awkward to talk to him.
The last time she had seen him was in the courtroom.
She had secretly schemed behind his back and struck him with a betrayal. Facing him now was uncomfortable, to say the least. So she had intended to keep up the act until he left, but—
“How long must I wait before you open your eyes?”
Her heart jolted.
Surely he hadn’t realized she was faking. No, there was no way…
“I suppose I have no choice. The physician said you are fine, yet I remain concerned. I was even contemplating administering artificial respiration.”
“……”
Bastard.
He knew. That was not suspicion—it was certainty. But she refused to yield. Canna stirred, continuing the performance.
“Mmm…”
“……”
“Ugh… ah?”
“……”
“Wh-where am I? Oh, why is Your Grace here?”
“……”
Sylvien’s lips curved in clear disbelief. Yet Canna tilted her head with shameless innocence.
“I remember falling into the pond. Did Your Grace rescue me?”
“Indeed I did.”
It seemed Sylvien had decided to indulge her little charade.
“Why?”
The question had been burning inside her since the moment she woke. Canna asked it plainly.
“Why did you save me this time?”
There was no reason for him to intervene.
Besides, hadn’t she dealt him a severe blow not long ago? He should have been furious. There was no reason for him to help her without an ulterior motive.
“Does pulling someone from a pond require a reason?”
Well, yes—when that someone is you and the rescuer is me.
When suspicion still lingered in her eyes, Sylvien smiled softly.
“I do have some business with you.”
“……”
Of course. She had known there would be a catch. He was not the sort of man who saved people for free.
“However, given the circumstances, I will tell you later.”
“No, it’s quite all right. Please speak now. It would put my mind at ease.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“Very well. There is someone I would like you to examine, Lady Canna.”